


One More Moment

by Galexis



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Angsty makeout, Baby cuddles, F/M, Feelings, Fluff, Helmet removal, deep conversation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:28:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28116192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galexis/pseuds/Galexis
Summary: Din Djarin shares a vulnerable moment with Ahsoka Tano, which helps him open up to Grogu.
Relationships: Din Djarin & Grogu, Din Djarin/Ahsoka Tano, The Mandalorian/Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 11
Kudos: 122





	One More Moment

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, everybody! It’s been a while. I am no expert on Ahsoka or her backstory, but I absolutely loved the chemistry between these two. I started writing this just after the episode aired, and wanted to post it before the finale on Friday, just in case everything goes sideways. (Fingers crossed that it doesn’t.) Anyway, apologies in advance for any inaccuracies pertaining to Ahsoka, but, hey, it’s just a fluffy, angsty fanfic! 😉

“I like firsts. Good or bad, they’re always memorable.”

Her words rang through his head like an E-Web blast. There was something intoxicating about Ahsoka that both thrilled and confused Din. He recalled her gentle yet authoritative touch on his wrist as she guided him in Grogu’s stone-moving exercise. The way she got close enough to whisper into his helmeted ear. She could even communicate with his child, relaying secrets that had been locked away for decades, and she handled him with the utmost care. To top it all off, she was fiercely powerful, and strikingly beautiful. Their encounter was brief, but she had left a very deep and lasting impression on him. 

Din replaced the steel shifter knob as the Razor Crest powered on. Grogu was back in his hammock, sleeping off the emotional day he’d had. Din would need to wake the child to secure him before take off, but he just wasn’t ready. He needed answers. 

He’d seen Ahsoka head back through the woods after they said their goodbyes, but perhaps she hadn’t gotten far. He powered down the ship, lowered the ramp, and to his surprise, there she was. She stood just yards away from the ramp, out of breath, indicating that she had run all the way back to the ship. This initially alarmed Din, so he shouted to her, 

“What happened? Is everything alright?”

Ahsoka, still catching her breath, smiled and shouted back, 

“Yes, everything is fine. I was worried that you’d already left, but I just had to see...” 

Din was confused. Why would she run back to the ship if there was no danger? Did she have more to tell Grogu? Did she have more to tell him? He gestured toward the sleeping quarters and said, 

“The kid’s asleep at the moment, but if you need to talk to him, I was about to wake him-“

“No,” Ahsoka interjected, “Actually... I wanted to speak with you.” 

He was flustered upon hearing this, and stumbled a bit as he made his way down the ramp. She met him at the bottom, still smiling, breathing back to normal. “Listen, I’m sorry to bother you, but I just felt like I let you go too quickly. I felt like...there was more that needed to be said... and needed to be asked. Can we talk?” 

Din was still flustered. His cheeks grew hot beneath the helmet as he stammered, “Uh, sure. Whatever you need.”

They walked to a nearby fallen log, and Ahsoka softly touched his elbow as they took a seat. He wasn’t used to this kind of casual contact, and didn’t how to interpret it. Awkwardly, he asked, “So, how can I help you?” 

Ahsoka furrowed her brow, and took a deep breath. “For starters, I want to know more about your feelings for Grogu. He’s quite taken with you, and while I declined the opportunity to train him, I still care about him deeply.” 

There was a long pause before Din could gather his emotions and his words. “Well, I care about him too, but I was tasked with returning him to his own kind, so that is what I intend to do.” He sat up straight, as if to convince himself that there was nothing more to it than that. 

Ahsoka knew better, and she pressed him, “So, you didn’t consider the possibility that you might be the one to care for and raise him? When you rescued him from the imperials, what did you think would happen after that?” 

Din was confused, and asked, “How did you know about that?” Ahsoka glared at him, and he quickly understood. “Oh, right. You saw his memories. Well, I don’t know what I was thinking, other than the fact that I didn’t want the client to kill him. He’d saved my life, so I owed it to him. There was no long term plan. I just had to get the kid out of there, and that’s what I did. After he saved my life again, along with my friends, I figured that I owed him a trip home. Wherever that may be.”

Ahsoka continued to push him, as she knew there was more that he wasn’t telling her. “But what did the armorer say? Something about a clan of two?”

Ok, now this was getting terribly uncomfortable for Din, and felt downright invasive. She’d read Grogu’s thoughts and seen his memories, so why was she grilling him like this? Ahsoka could sense his discomfort by his body language, and grabbed his hands, which were tightly clenched into fists. “Din.” (He’d never told her his name.) “I’m sorry if I’m coming on too strong. I just need to know this... If you take Grogu to the seeing stone, and he chooses you... will you also choose him?” 

Din was overwhelmed by the weight of her question and her touch. There was a tense moment of silence before he finally exhaled, and answered, “I don’t know. I want to, but I don’t know if I can.” 

“Why? What are you afraid of?” 

“I’m not afraid”, he asserted. 

“Then what is it?” 

Another tense silence as Din averted his gaze, and slowly unclenched his fists. Ahsoka gently intertwined her fingers with his, and pleaded softly, “What is it? You can tell me.” 

By this time, the stoic Mandalorian was starting to crack. The view out of his visor became blurry, as his eyes teared up, and his breath grew heavy. Yes, he was afraid, but he couldn’t bring himself to admit it. He swallowed hard, and replied softly, “I suppose, I do have some fears, or, rather, worries, about raising the kid. I mean, Grogu.” Ahsoka squeezed his hands encouragingly. 

He continued, “First of all, this kid is going to outlive me by hundreds, if not thousands of years. At this rate, he’ll still be a toddler by the time I’m dead. Who would take care him then?” His voice started to quiver. “Also, I am the furthest thing from parent material. Bounty hunting with me is no life for a kid, and I’ve already messed up many times. So many times...” Din suddenly felt embarrassed. Ahsoka had probably seen these damning moments in Grogu’s memories. How could she possibly want him to be this child’s guardian? He averted his gaze once more, and started to pull away. 

Ahsoka squeezed his hands again, and gave him a slight smile. “Din? Look at me. Please. I understand your hesitation, and your worries. But I want you to know that you have done more for Grogu in these past few months than anyone has done in years, decades even. You’ve given him a sense of stability and family that he’s never had. No matter what you go through, all that matters to him is that you’re going through it together. He trusts you, and, dare I say, he loves you. He would do anything for you.”

Din was a wreck. Hiding so much emotion beneath his hemet was becoming a challenge, so he just focused on breathing. Even if he loved Grogu back, was it enough? He stammered, “I don’t know what I could do for him in the long run. He’s the one with special powers. I can only see myself holding him back.” 

Ahsoka reassured him, “You’re giving him what he needs right now. Although, there is something that he wants from you, and you have yet to give it to him.” 

Din was puzzled. “What could that be?”

“Your face. Grogu wants to see your face, and he wants to look into your eyes when you talk to him. It would show Grogu that you trust him.” 

Din was not expecting that answer. “Wait, what? He’s never given me any kind of sign, or tried to touch my helmet, or anything like that. I don’t understand...”

“Because he respects you. He wants you to do it willingly. He became increasingly confused when you met up with other Mandalorians who did remove their helmets. I’ve also met Mandalorians who removed their helmets often. What’s stopping you?” 

Din sighed. “In my clan, if I were to remove my helmet, then I could never put it on again. I learned quite recently that this is not the case in all of the clans.” 

“How did that make you feel?”

“How did what make me feel?”

“Finding out that your way wasn’t the only way.”

Din fell silent once again. This wasn’t something he could even express to himself, let alone out loud to another person. Ahsoka leaned in, and said reassuringly, “It’s ok to question your beliefs. In fact, everyone should. It’s healthy.”

Din asked timidly, “Have you ever questioned yours?” 

“Oh yes. Constantly. Particularly the part about no personal attachments. When I was younger, I often wondered what the harm would be in growing close to someone. Even falling in love, or having a family. Then, I saw firsthand the harm that such attachments could bring.” 

“I can understand that. I’ve avoided personal attachments myself, for the most part.”

“Yes. But now I ask you, what would be the harm in removing your helmet in front of Grogu? Making eye contact? Maybe giving his little face a kiss? How could that possibly harm anyone?” 

Silent again. The creed wasn’t a good enough answer. He searched every memory, every suppressed emotion, every fleeting desire to be close to someone. He wanted to get closer to Ahsoka, and suddenly the words just started pouring out. 

“I don’t know how that would feel. No one has seen my face since I was a child, and the last time anyone kissed me was when my parents said goodbye, right before they were killed. I had closed off that part of myself after I swore the creed. From then on, I was warrior. No more family, no more kisses. None of that stuff. It’s just... not meant for me.”

Ahsoka’s eyes started to fill with tears, both out of sadness for Mando, and also for herself. She sensed his anguish, and empathized with his loneliness. Her hand moved up his forearm, and gave it a squeeze. Her judgment felt a bit hazy, but she knew what she wanted. She stroked his arm softly with her thumb as she asked gently, “So, you haven’t had a kiss since you were a child?”

“No.”

“Do you want one?”

Din flinched. He turned to face Ahsoka’s gaze, and the look in her icy blue eyes told him that she was dead serious. He cleared his throat and answered her question with another question, “But...what about your rule against attachments?”

“Well, we may not form serious relationships, but we have...moments, from time to time. I’d like to have a moment with you.”

Din very much wanted a “moment” with Ahsoka, but how? He wasn’t comfortable with letting her see his face, but he couldn’t stifle his craving for affection. After another awkward silence, he came up with an idea. “What if...you didn’t look at me?”

“Pardon?”

“What if...you kept your eyes closed, and I took off my helmet just long enough to, you know, engage in a kiss, then I put it back on before you opened your eyes?” As he waited for her answer, Din felt like he was going to vomit.

“Ok.”

“Really?”

“Din, I said ok.”

There was a playful tone in her voice that calmed Din’s nerves so that he no longer wanted to vomit. He was fond of her, but he wasn’t overly attached. They’d only met a couple days ago, after all. He’d enjoyed brief “moments” in the past with no attachment, no regrets, but also, no kissing. This was different, but he was willing to give it a try. He took a deep breath, and told her, “Ok... I’m ready if you are.”

Ahsoka closed her eyes to let him know that she was indeed ready. With trembling hands, he slowly lifted his helmet, and set it on the log next to him. Ahsoka could only hear the hiss and the clunk, but knowing that he trusted her enough to remove his helmet brought a smile to her face. 

Din turned back to look at her, and he couldn’t believe how much more beautiful she looked without the distortion of the tinted visor. The shades of deep orange and bright blue were far more vibrant, which made him briefly wonder about her eyes, but that was a moot point. He was still collecting his nerves, when she reached up and asked, “May I?” 

Din nodded at first, but then remembered that she couldn’t see him, and uttered, “Yes.” 

Suddenly, soft hands rested on either side of his face. It had been so long since he’d felt another person’s touch on his cheeks, it was almost as intimate as a kiss. Ahsoka gently stroked his stubbled jaw, then ran her fingers up his temples, across his furrowed brow, down the bridge of his strong nose, then chuckled when she found the hair on his upper lip. “Mustache?”

Din laughed awkwardly, “I don’t have a lot of time to shave, so...”

“It’s ok, I like it.” 

Thank goodness she couldn’t see him blush. Then, her hands reached toward the top of his head, and found the soft, unruly locks that clung to his forehead. She wondered what color it was, but enjoyed the sensation just the same. One hand came to rest on the back of his neck, then drew him closer. She pressed her lips to his stubbled cheek, moving slowly toward his mouth. Din took a deep, sharp breath. This was it. 

Din closed his eyes, tilted his head slightly, and went in for it. Their lips made successful contact. Her mouth was so soft and warm, it was comforting and arousing at the same time. His lips pressed hers gently at first, then increased in pressure after each staggered breath. Her hands tugged at his hair, and he, not knowing what to do with his hands, lightly gripped her shoulders. 

As their kiss intensified, he ran his gloved fingers over her toned arms and back, then rested them on her hips. Their mouths were parted now, and he could feel her tongue stroking his bottom lip, right before she nipped it with her teeth. 

“Ah!” he gasped. 

“Sorry, did I hurt you?”

“No. I liked it.” 

Ahsoka chuckled into his mouth before resuming the kiss. They spent a few more minutes exploring each other’s lips, tongues, and teeth before Din brought his hands to her face, and slowly pulled away. He wanted to take another unfiltered at her. Her eyes were still closed, but her expression was blissful, and her exasperated breaths made him want more than just a kiss. But he wasn’t ready for that. He pressed his forehead to hers and planted one more firm kiss on her lips before whispering, “Ok.” 

Ahsoka’s expression melted into disappointment, but also acceptance, as she nodded, then turned away as he put his helmet back on. He was still breathing heavily, but he knew that this was the right thing to do. Their moment was over. Facing one another again, he reached for her hands, and mumbled softly, “Thank you.” 

She gave him a tiny smirk and said, “No. Thank YOU. I... I needed that. But I’m glad that we stopped there. It was bringing back some long-forgotten feelings. And memories.”

Right, Din thought to himself. Memories of other people. Not me. 

But this was meant to be a completely unattached, no expectations, casual moment. He couldn’t allow himself to feel any hurt over this. Only appreciate what had been given. He’d needed it too. “Listen,” he said, “I’m just really grateful for what you’ve done for me. Not just the kiss, but the pep talk. I needed that. You gave me a lot to think about.” 

A smile spread across Ahsoka’s face. “Good. I’m glad.” And she meant it. If he was going to be a loving, nurturing father to Grogu, then he also needed to be loving and nurturing to himself. She rose to leave, and Din quickly stood up and reached for her hand. When he realized what he was doing, he backed away. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to grab at you like that. I just wanted a little more time.”

“I’m sorry, Din, but I really must be going now. I’ve taken too long as it is. But I don’t regret it.” She leaned in and embraced him, and Din’s legs grew weak. She was right. He needed to get going too, but her warmth, physical and otherwise, was hard to part with. He squeezed her gently in his steel-clad arms, and she squeezed back. “Until we meet again, Din Djarin.”

“Until we meet again, Ahsoka Tano.” 

He held her for just a moment longer before Ahsoka pulled away from their embrace, straightened her cloak, and walked back toward the forest. Din stood there watching, waiting, hoping that she would look back over her shoulder, but she didn’t. Din let out a beleaguered sigh as he watched her disappear into the mist. 

*********************************

His legs felt heavy and useless as he walked up the ramp and back into the ship. That was truly a memorable first, a good first, but his heart felt burdened. Why did it hurt so much? Why did he feel so guilty about something so utterly wonderful? He approached the sleeping quarters, and heard Grogu’s tiny snore resonating from the hammock. Din needed to get him secured for take off, but not just yet.

After another hiss and a clunk, Din was bare-faced in front of a sleeping Grogu. He’d only seen the little boy through the tinted visor, so everything from the baby’s watery green complexion to each tiny wrinkle looked fresh and new again. Din carefully lifted the snoring child, and snuggled him against his neck for their first skin to skin contact. He could feel the fuzzy white hairs on Grogu’s head and ears tickle his cheek. He breathed deeply, and inhaled the mysterious, sweet scent that can only be found on a baby’s head. Even after half a century, Grogu still had it. His clothes smelled a bit musty though, so Din made a mental note to wash them before they reached Tython. 

He lifted Grogu a bit higher, so that he could gaze upon his peaceful, sleepy face. Overwhelmed with love and adoration, Din couldn’t help himself. He leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Grogu’s forehead, inhaling the intoxicating baby scent again. He then held the sleeping baby to his chest, while subconsciously rocking from side to side. This felt good. Din had travelled almost the entire galaxy, and had never felt more at home than he did in this moment. Maybe he was meant to have family in his life. And kisses. Maybe the creed wasn’t everything. 

Grogu stirred, and his eyelids fluttered as he slipped in and out of a dream. His little brow furrowed with concern as a he caught a glimpse of the unfamiliar face staring back at him. “Hey, buddy. It’s just me,” Din reassured him. Grogu’s eyelids grew heavy once again, and he went back to sleep with a tiny smile on his face. Din cuddled and rocked him a bit longer before whispering into one of his fuzzy, green ears, “Grogu, if you choose me, then I will choose you. In fact, I will always choose you. Every single time.” Din knew that he needed to wake the kid up soon, but figured there was no harm in rocking him a little bit longer. Just one more moment...


End file.
